DETROIT — The 2024 Pitt football season came to a close on Thursday with a 48-46 defeat to Toledo in six overtimes in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. The Panthers concluded the year with a 7-6 record, and of course, finished the campaign with six straight defeats.
The attention now shifts to the offseason, but for now, what stood out about the bowl game and the season at large. Here are my five takeaways from Ford Field.
The damage was already done
Pitt losing a bowl to a MAC team is undeniably a bad look, but being in this game was part of the problem in the first place. Give Toledo credit and all that, the Rockets run a solid program and they have some talented players, but this is about Pitt and how this team 2024 finished a season that started so much promise.
I think there were plenty of failures in this particular game from coaching to player execution, and a loss in six overtimes could have been avoided countless times on Thursday. One decision here, one play there, but bowl games tend to be crazy in general and that’s why I don’t put a ton of stock into them, especially in the current climate of the transfer portal, opt outs, and mounting injuries late in the year.
This loss to Toledo was bad on its own, but the damage was done to this 2024 season in the five games that preceded this one. All the momentum and juice from that 7-0 start is completely gone, and now Pitt’s 3-9 season in 2023 was followed with a 7-6 campaign, an improvement on paper, but also not one that inspires a ton of confidence either.
I guess my point is, even if Pitt survived a six overtime bowl game with a win, the feelings around the program would be a bit dejected either way. The Panthers aren’t that far removed from being ACC Champions, but the three seasons that followed that title have been pretty lackluster, to say the least.
As a program, Pitt has some challenges ahead to remain viable in an ever-changing sport. The introduction of revenue sharing creates another burden starting next season, plus maintaining a competitive level in NIL is always a big task from adding to also retaining players. College football is all about making noise, winning games, staying relevant, and creating excitement. Here on December 26, 2024, Pitt does not have a ton of momentum at the moment, which is not an ideal place to be.
Decision making
As for this game itself, Pitt had several chances to avoid this loss. There were opportunities to put the game away in regulation with a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, and there will be some question marks about how some of those late game scenarios transpired from head coach Pat Narduzzi.
Pitt had a chance to go for a game-winning drive in regulation, but with a true freshman quarterback on the field, the standard two-minute offense was not totally in the package. The Panthers got near midfield, but the drive sputtered. It would have been a tough ask to send Ben Sauls out for a 67ish yard field goal, which is understandable, but the overtime got a little messy.
In the second overtime period, Pitt held Toledo to a field goal, meaning a touchdown would have won the game. Pitt marched all the way to the three-yard line following a nice run from freshman Juelz Goff, but it stalled at the wrong time. Pitt brought in a deluxe package with tight end Gavin Bartholomew at quarterback and Isaiah Neal, a defensive lineman, lined up at fullback. The trick play on third and goal from the one-yard line was actually well designed and open, but the execution did not match the call. But that begs the question, why not just leave the ball in the hands of an actual quarterback, and not a tight end?
Following that play, Pitt could have attempted a do-or-die touchdown from the one-yard line to win the game. Instead, Pitt tried for a field goal. It prolonged the game, but it also put the team in a position where a true freshman quarterback had to match Toledo play for play once it got to the third overtime. Dugger played valiantly, but again, it cast quite the burden on a player making his college debut, and it caught up with the Panthers eventually.
Pat Narduzzi, understandably so, is not the most popular guy among the Pitt fan base at the moment. As mentioned above, it is more because of the five-game losing streak to end the regular season than this particular bowl loss. Even with a depleted roster on Thursday, a lot of those late game decisions will make an already long and frustrating offseason even more sour.
Reid was spectacular
You really can not say enough about how good Desmond Reid is and what his addition has brought to the Pitt program. Reid landed on several All-American teams following the regular season, and got to put on a show on national TV on Thursday, and delivered fully.
Reid rushed for a season-high 165 yards and a touchdown and finished with 191 all-purpose yards. At times, Reid carried the offense with two freshmen manning the quarterback position, leaving a lot of the load on his shoulders. He also fought through a cramping issue, and took some tough hits throughout the game. Toledo was called for three facemark penalties on the Pitt tailback alone, but the tough Reid kept playing through all of it.
It is worth noting, Reid has announced his return to Pitt for his senior season. The Panthers should have a better supporting cast around him in September than the one that played on Thursday, and that will only benefit him. There aren’t a ton of positives to take from this game, and even this season at this point, but Reid is clearly one of them.
He’s dynamic, electric, and one of the best weapons Pitt has had in recent memory. Reid’s performance deserved a win, but it did not work out that way against the Rockets.
Freshman shined in bigger roles
I think the entire bowl system is a bit under fire. An expanded playoff has devalued these games a bit, plus the NCAA having the transfer portal open during many of these undercard games just depletes the depth for everyone. There are not a great positives about the current bowl setup, but I think one of them is allowing younger guys to get more playing time. On Thursday, Pitt really let some of its young guys loose and they performed incredibly well.
Francis Brewu has played all season, but was in a much more prominent role against Toledo. He looked impressive at times. Brewu got home for an important sack in overtime, and was flying all around the field in the extra sessions. The former four-star recruit appears to be a serious building block for next year’s team.
Juelz Goff elevated all the way to No. 2 on the depth chart at running back, and had to play significant snaps against Toledo to help spell Reid. Goff touched the ball ten times for 63 yards and broke off some impressive plays, including a 13-yard run in the second overtime that set Pitt deep in Toledo territory.
Of course, Julian Dugger stole the show among the freshman class. He eventually took over for David Lynch at quarterback, and Pitt’s offense moved much better with him on the field, mainly because of his mobility. Dugger rushed for 88 yards on 21 carries, and routinely kept plays and drives alive with his scrambling ability. Aside from a poorly timed interception, Dugger even flashed with some impressive throws, including two touchdowns, providing much more upside than many expected considering he was buried on the depth chart to start the season.
The bowl structure might need altered, but as long as it stays in its current state, true freshman getting more chances seem like one of the few benefits of these games. Pitt’s freshman class got to have those extra reps that should help in the future.
A long wait
Momentum is everything in this sport. While a win over Toledo would not have greatly affected the outcome to this season, a loss makes the offseason feel even longer and more drawn out than usual. Simply put, a bowl win can at least keep the noise level down a few notches, but as we all know, the noise, angst, and concern around Pitt football will be present throughout this offseason.
It’s only natural with a six-game losing streak. You earn what you get, so to speak.
The Panthers won the ACC in 2021, sure, but in the 38 games that have followed, Pat Narudzzi has posted a 19-19 record. I do not think the Pitt head coach is on the hot seat with a contract that runs through 2030, but I think there is an expectation that the 2025 season needs to be better than the one that just unfolded.
The transfer portal complicates things. You can never feel certain about anything, and while Pitt’s retention efforts have been good, there is still pressure to fix some issues with the current team, and that's the next phase of the calendar.
Pitt has some good pieces for next season, there is no doubt there, but as we saw this program clearly needs some reinforcements in a big way. Until those additions happen, there are going to be nervous energy around Pitt football. Again, this sport is a lot about momentum, and it just does not feel like Pitt has much of that right now.
